Method and apparatus for producing a container



Oct. 9, 1962 N. A. LEIBREICH 3,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1959 INVENTOR. WAN A-LEIBREICH ATTORAEY Oct. 9, 1962 N. A. LEIBREICH 3,057,265

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER Filed June 5, 1959 I 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR. FIG. 3 NORMAN A. LEIBREICH @LY/ QQM ATTORNEY Oct- 9, 1 62 N. A. LEIBREICH 3,057,265

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER Filed June 3, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. F 4 NORMAN A- LEIBREICH ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1962 N. A. LEIBREICH 3,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER Filed June 5, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 5

I as

INVENTOR. NORMAN A. LEIBREICH HATTORNEY.

Oct. 9, 1962 N. A. LEIBREICH 3,057,265

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER Filed June 3, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 57, (9/ (i "Q 85 73K zar s'a J I 72 6 s i 3 a INVENTOR.

NORMAN A- LEIH'TEEH ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1962 N. A. LEIBREICH 3,057,265

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER 8 sheets-sheet 6 Filed June 5, 1959 FIG. IO

FIG. 9

INVENTOR.

NmMAN A. LEBREICH BY 2 ATTORNEY FIG. 8

Oct. 9, 1962 N. A. LElBRElCH 3,057,265

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER Filed June 3, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. HA

3 94 99 F6 FIG. IIB

I29 I29\ 27 66 a w \l' I FIG. 12A

Bofl/fi INVENTOR.

NORMAN A- LEIBREICH FIG. [2B

ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1962 Filed June 5, 1959 N. A. LEIBREICH METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. l4

Il/l/Ilg FIG- '48 FIG; I5

FIG. I4A

FIG. I6

INV EN TOR.

NOQMAN A. LEIBREICH ATTORNEY United States Ohio Filed .Iune 3, 1959, Ser. No. 817,893 3 Claims. (Cl. 9339.1)

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for securing the closure member on the open end of a container body.

Many attempts have been made to produce a sturdy container comprising a fiber container body having an open end and a closure member secured to the open end of the container body in such a manner that the closure member provides a bottom for the container and is adapted to support a relatively large weight and remain firmly secured to the container body. However, it has been found that a fiber bottom closure member is not readily suitable for such a container as the means for firmly securing the same to the open end of the container body is relatively expensive since the fiber closure member must be secured by stitching, stapling and the like to the container body. Further, such a container is not adapted to support a relatively large weight and the securing means provides small openings through which the contents of the container tend to seep out of the container when the contents comprise granular, powdered, or liquid products and the like. And the container industry for many years has been unsuccessfully attempting to utilize various closure members for securely closing fiber container bodies.

In order to secure a metal bottom closure member to an open end of a fiber container body, it has been found in the past, that the metal closure member can either be crimped to the open end of the container body or have an outer peripheral portion thereof folded and compressed between a flanged portion extending from the open end of the container body and an adjacent portion of the container body. However, some of the prior known methods for securing a metal closure member to a fiber container body produce structures wherein the fibers of the container bodies are weakened, deformed, broken and the like by the seaming operations and, therefore, result in inferior products.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for securing a closure member on the open end of such a container body.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for securing a closure member to the open end of a container body by simultaneously flanging the closure member and the open end of the container body and folding and compressing an outer peripheral portion of the closure member between the flanged portion of the container body and an adjacent section of the container body.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following specification and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a seaming apparatus formed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of a disassembled container, with or without score lines or with reverse score lines, formed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary front view of the lower portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the ice lower portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 and is taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 and is taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 6 is a broken away top view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 and is taken on line 66 of FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary axial cross-sectional view of the top portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 and is taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a broken away top view of one of the components of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 and is taken on line 88 of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 9 is a broken away end view of the component illustrated in FIGURE 8 and is taken on line 99 of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation view of the component illustrated in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the component of FIGURE 8 and illustrates a first die element, the view being taken on line 11--11 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11A illustrates the die element of FIGURE 11 in the lowered position;

FIGURE 11B illustrates diagrammatically the results of the first seaming step in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 12is a view similar to FIGURE 11 illustrating a second die element and is taken on line 1212 of FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 12A illustrates the die element of FIGURE 12 in the lowered position;

FIGURE 12B illustrates diagrammatically the results of the second seaming step in accordance. with the invention;

FIGURE 13 illustrates a third die element and is taken on line 1313 of FIGURE 8; V

FIGURE 13A illustrates the die element of FIGURE 13 in its operating position;

FIGURE 13B illustrates diagrammatically the results of the third seaming step in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 14 illustrates a fourth die element and is taken on line 14-14 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 14A illustrates the die element of FIGURE 14 in its operating position;

FIGURE 14B illustrates diagrammatically the results of the fourth seaming step in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 15 is an axial cross-sectional view of an improved container formed in accordance with the teachings of this invention; and

FIGURE 16 is an elevation view of the container of FIGURE 15 and illustrates the same being closed.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various figures thereof to designate like parts where appropriate, and particular reference is made to FIGURE 1 illustrating a seaming apparatus formed in accordance with the teachings of this invention and generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. The seaming apparatus 10 includes a frame, generally indicated by the reference numeral 11, comprising a base member 12, a pair of parallel cylindrical supports 13 and 14 extending vertically from the base member 12, and a top member 15 carried at the upper ends of the supports 13 and 14.

A lower support member, generally indicated by the reference numeral 16, is pivotally connected to the base member 12 by a pair of opposed trunnions 17 extending outwardly from a frame 18 and being respectively received within suita ble bearing supports 19 secured to the base member 12. The frame 18 of the support 16 rotatably supports a shaft 20 carrying a substantially conically-shaped stock holding member 21 at the lower end thereof as shown in FIGURE 1 and a fiat disc-like spring loaded mandrel 22 at the upper end thereof. The lower support member 16 is adapted to cooperate with an upper support member 23 in a manner later to be described, the upper support member 23 comprising a rotatably driven disc-like mandrel 23 rigidly secured to a rotatably driven shaft 24 extending vertically downwardly from the top member 15. The seaming apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 is adapted to secure a metal closure member 25 (see FIGURE 2) to an open end 26 of a cylindrical container body 27 which may, for example, comprise a cellulose fiber, glass fiber, certain metal or plastic materials. One example of the container body 27 illustrated has another opposed end 28 provided with a plurality of outwardly extending flaps 29 adapted to close the open end 28 in a manner described hereinafter.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the lower support member 16 is pivotally secured to the base member 12 by a pair of trunnions 17 carried by the frame 18 and being rotatably received Within bearing supports 19 secured to the base member 12 by a plurality of bolts 36. In this manner, the lower support member 16 is adapted to be pivoted from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 and in dashed lines in FIGURE 4 to the position illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 4. The support member 16 is also adapted to be raised vertically upward ly from the position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4 to the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 4 in the following manner.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the shaft 20 is rotatably carried in a sleeve 31 by a plurality of bearings 32. The sleeve 31 is slidably and telescopically received within a bore 33 passing through the frame 18. In this manner, the lower support member 16 is adapted to be rotated relative to the frame '18 when rotated in the bearings 32 and is also adapted to be moved vertically relative to the frame 18 by sliding the sleeve 31 relative to the frame 18.

The sleeve member 31 has a retainer 34 suitably secured to the lower end thereof. The retainer 34 carries a roller element '35 rotatably supported on a shaft 36 extending between a pair of ears or lugs 37 extending downwardly from the retainer 34. The roller element engages an arcuately shaped end 38 of a lever 39 pivotally mounted on a shaft 40 carried by the base member 12. The other end 41 of the lever 39 extends through an opening 42 formed in the front of the base member 12 and serves as a foot pedal for raising and lowering the lower support member 16 in a manner later to be described.

A latch member 43 is pivotally connected by a pin 44 to the lever 39 and has an end 45 provided with a tang or latch projection 46 adapted to be received under a complementary tang or projection 47 formed on the base member 12 when the lever 39 is in the position illustrated in FIGURE 4. A spring 43' tends to rotate the latch member 43 into the locking position. The other end 48 of the latch member 43 projects through the aperture 42 in the base member 12 whereby the same can be unlatched from the tang 47 by pressing downwardly on the end 48 thereof. Therefore, when the support member 16 is in the vertical position and the end 41 of the lever 39 is pushed downwardly, the lower support member 16 is raised vertically by the end '38 of the lever 39 to the position illustrated in full lines in FIGURE 4 and the latch member 43 locks against the tang 47 by the action of the spring 43' whereby the support member 16is maintained in the up position. 7

A counter-balancing spring 49 is connected at one end thereof to a pin 50 carried by a flange 51 suitably secured to the frame 19. The other end of the spring 49 is secured to the base member 12 by a pin 52. The spring 49 is so constructed and arranged that when the lower support member 16 is pivoted outwardly to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1, the weight of the support member 16 is snfilcient to slightly overcome the force of the spring '49 and maintain the support member 16 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1. However, the counterbalancing spring 49 has a suificient force to maintain the support member 16 in the vertical position after the same has been pivoted to that position.

As shown in FIGURE 4, a sleeve 53 is telescopically disposed around the rotatable shaft 20 and is secured thereto in a predetermined telescoped position by a retainer 54 encompassing a splined end 55 of the sleeve 53 and being secured to the shaft 20 by a set screw 56. The stock holding member 21 is also telescopically disposed around the shaft 20 and the sleeve 53 and is provided with annular groove 57 adapted to telescopically receive the retainer 54 when the member 21 is in the position illustrated in full lines in FIGURE 4. A compression spring 58 is disposed between the member 21 and the sleeve 53 and tends to force the member 21 upwardly against the retainer 54. The member 21 is adapted to be moved vertically downwardly on the shaft 20 until an abutment 59 thereof engages a shoulder 60 formed on the sleeve 53.

The stock holding member 21 includes an annular cylindrical portion 61 and an outwardly and upwardly directed peripheral portion 62 interconnected therewith. As shown in FIGURES 1, 3, and 4, the cylindrical container body 27 is adapted to be telescoped onto the lower support member 16 in the manner illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 1 when the support member 16 is in the position illustrated. The open end 28 of the container body 27 rests against the peripheral portion 62 of the member 21 and the annular wall 61 is so constructed and arranged that the same closely receives the internal peripheral surface of the body 27 and maintains the container body 27 in its cylindrical shape. The annular wall 61 is of a suificient length to encompass and prevent the flaps 29 thereof from buckling whereby the other open end 26 remains at a predetermined distance from the member 21.

When the container body 27 has been completely telescoped onto the lower support member 16, an annular section 63 thereof (see FIGURE 1) extends above the disc-like mandrel 22 which is preferably spring-loaded as shown in dotted lines, the mandrel 22 also closely engaging the internal peripheral surface of the container body 27 and maintaining the upper portion of the body in its cylindrical shape. In this manner, the support member 16 forces the container body 27 into the desired cylindrical shape. After the container body 27 has been telescoped onto the lower support member 16, a metal closure member 25 comprising a flat circular central portion 64, an annular vertically extending wall 65, and a radially outwardly extending peripheral portion 66, is assembled on the open end 26 of the container body 27 whereby the circular portion 64 and the annular wall 65 of the closure member 25 are closely received within the open end 26 of the container body 27. The outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25 engages the open end 26 of the container body 27 and the central portion 64 is disposed slightly spaced from the disc-like mandrel 22.

When the closure member 25 has been assembled to the open end 26 of the container body 27 in the above manner, the lower support member 16 is pivoted to its vertical position and raised vertically upwardly by the lever 39 whereby the upper disc-like mandrel 23 is telescopically received within the annular wall 65 of the closure member 25 and forces the circular portion 64 of the closure member 25 'into frictional engagement with the disc-like mandrel 22. The length of the rod 20 is so designed that when the assembled closure member 25 and container body 27 are raised upwardly against the disc-like mandrel 23, the mandrel 23 forces the closure member 25, container body 27, and member 21 downwardly relative to the shaft 20 until the central portion 64 of the closure member 25 makes contact with the lower spring loaded disc-like mandrel 22. The spring 58 is slightly compressed and tends to force the container body 27 and closure member 25 into frictional engagement with each other and the closure member into frictional engagement with the upper mandrel 23. In this manner, the frictional engagement of the disc-like mandrels 22 and 23 with the closure member 25 and the frictional engagement between the closure member 25 and the container body 27 permits the disclike member 23, when rotated, to simultaneously rotate the closure member 25, container body 27, and the lower support member 16 relative to the frame 18 in a manner later to be described.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the top portion 15 of the apparatus 10 includes a frame 67 secured to the vertical rods 13 and 14. A suitable motor 68 is secured to the rear portion of the frame 67 and has a drive shaft 69 projecting vertically therefrom. The shaft 69 carries a pulley 70 at one end thereof which is adapted to drive a continuous V-shaped belt 71 which passes over the pulley 70 and another pulley 72 spaced therefrom and carried on the end of a drive shaft 73 rotatably mounted in the frame 67 by bearing means 74.

The shaft 73 drives a gear 75 interconnected therewith and meshing with a larger gear 76 splined at one end of the shaft 24 rotatably supported in the frame 67 and carrying the upper disc-like mandrel 23.

The pulleys 70 and 72 and the gears 75 and 76 are designed to provide a desired speed of rotation of the disc-like mandrel 23 relative to the speed of rotation of the shaft 69 of the motor 68.

A smaller gear 78 is carried on the shaft 24 below the gear 76 and meshes with an intermediate gear '79 supported on one end of a shaft 80 rotatably carried by the frame 67. The intermediate gear 79, in turn, meshes with a gear 81 secured to a shaft 82 rotatably supported by the frame 67 and carrying a bevel gear 84. The bevel gear 84 meshes with another bevel gear 85 interconnected to a shaft 86 rotatably supported within a frame member 87. The shaft 86 carries a worm gear 88 at the other end thereof which meshes with another worm gear 89 supported on a shaft 90 rotatably carried by the frame member 87.

As shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the shaft 90 carries a driving sprocket 91 at one end thereof which drives a suitable continuous chain or belt 92 passing over the sprocket 91 and another sprocket 93 spaced therefrom and secured to an end of a cam shaft 94 rotatably supported within a cam box 95. In this manner, the gears 78, 79, 81, 84, 85, 88, 89 and driving chain 92 provide a desired speed of rotation of the cam shaft 94 relative to the speed of rotation of the disc-like mandrel 23, the

cam shaft 94 rotating at a lower speed than the speed of rotation of the mandrel 23. It is to be understood, of course, that the various gear trains previously described could be modified in any manner without departing from the teachings of this invention as the same are merely illustrative of one means for rotating the disc-like mandrel 23 and the cam shaft 94 in a predetermined ratio.

As shown in FIGURES 8, 9, and 1 0, the cam shaft 94 carries a plurality of cams 97, 98, 99, and disposed within the cam box 95 and being adapted to respectively operate a plurality of roller dies 102, 103, 104, and 105, in a manner later to be described.

A shaft 106 is carried by the cam box 95 and is dis posed parallel to the rotatable cam shaft 94. A pair of levers 107 and *108 are pivotally carried on the shaft 106 and have ends 109 and 110 respectively adapted to be engaged by the respective cam surfaces 97 and 98 of the earns 97 and 98 which causes the respective levers 107 and 108 to pivot about the shaft 106. As shown in FIGURES 10 and 11, the lever 107 carries a pin 111 at the other end thereof, the pin 111 having a hemispherical end 112 adapted to engage a lever 113 carried by the cam box 95. A pin 114 carried by the cam box 95 projects into a slot 115 formed in the lever 113 and thus limits vertical movement of the lever 113 relative to the cam box 95 and maintains the lever 113 against the side of the cam box 95. A compression spring 116 (see FIGURE 11) is disposed in the slot 115 of the lever 113 and engages the lever 113 at one end thereof and the pin 114 at the other end thereof whereby the compression spring 116 tends to maintain the lever 113 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 11. When the cam surface 97 of the cam 97, rotating in the direction illustrated by the arrow in FIGURE 11, causes the lever 107 to pivot about the shaft 106, the lever 107 causes the lever 113 to move vertically downwardly whereby the roller die '102, rotatably carried on the end of the lever 113, is moved vertically downwardly into engagement with the assembled closure member 25 and container body 27 in a manner later described. After the cam surface 97' of the cam 97 has rotated out of engagement with the lever 107, the spring 116 returns the lever 113 and 107 to the position illustrated in FIG- URE 11 whereby the roller die 102 is raised vertically out of engagement with the assembled closure member 25 and container body 27.

The roller die 104 is operated in substantially the same manner as the roller die 102 and, therefore, the particular details of the lever arrangement will not be described. However, the particular elements for operating the roller die 104 are indicated by the same reference numerals with a prime in FIGURE 12.

A second shaft 117 is carried by the cam box 95 and is disposed spaced from and parallel to the rotatable cam shaft 94. A lever 119 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 117 and is adapted to be pivoted about the shaft 117 by the cam surface 100 of the cam 100 in substantially the same manner as the levers 107 and 108 previously described.

As shown in FIGURE 14, the lever 119 also carries a pin 111 having a hemispherical end 112' adapted to engage a horizontally movable lever 123 carried by the cam box 95 and being supported by the bottom of the cam box 95, the lever 123 carrying the roller die 105. The lever 123 is maintained in the position illustrated in FIGURE 14 by a pin 114' and spring 116' arrangement in the manner previously described.

As shown in FIGURES 10 and 13, a vertically movable pin 124 is carried by the cam box 95 and has one end 125 thereof adapted to be engaged by the cam surface 98 of the cam 98 whereby the pin 124 is moved vertically downwardly relative to the cam box 95. The other end 126 of the pin 124 projects from the cam box 95 and is adapted to engage a lever 127 pivotally connected to the cam box 95 at 128. In this manner, the lever 127 is adapted to be rotated about the pivot point 128 and carry the roller die 103 substantially vertically upwardly as shown in FIGURE 13.

The cams 97-100 are so constructed and arranged on the cam shaft 94 that the roller dies 102 105 are operated in a predetermined sequence and the respective cam surfaces 97 and 100 thereof move the respective roller dies 102405 throughout predetermined distances.

The operation of the seaming apparatus 10 illustrated in FIGURE 1 will now be described. As previously stated, the container body 27 is mounted upon the lower support member 16 and the closure member 25 is assembled on the open end 26 thereof when the support member 16 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 1. After the closure member 2'5 has been assembled on the open end 26 of the container body 27, the support member 26 is pivoted to its vertical position and raised vertically upwardly by the pedal 41 whereby the upper disc-like mandrel 23 is telescopically received within the annular wall 65 of the closure member 25 and compresses the closure member 25 between the disc-like m'andrels 2 3 and 22 in the manner previously described.

The operator then starts the cycle of the seaming apparatus 10 by pressing suitable timing switching means 128 (see FIGURE 1) whereby the motor 68 is energized and drives the belt 71 and the various gear trains previ- 7 ously described in order to rotate the disc-like mandrel 23 and the cam shaft 94. The disc 23, now rotating, rotates the assembled closure member 25 and the container body 27 in unison relative to the frame 11 of the seaming apparatus 10.

The cam shaft 94 being rotated by its particular gear train, rotates the cam surface 97 of the cam 97 against the lever 167 whereby the roller die 162 is moved progressively and vertically downwardly into engagement with the outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25. As shown in FIGURE 11A, and diagrammatically in FIGURE 113, the roller die 192 bends a portion 129 of the outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25 downwardly relative to the container body 27.

After the roller die 102 has performed its function, and the cam surface 97' of the cam 97 has rotated past the end 109 of the lever 107, the spring 116 returns the lever 113 vertically upwardly whereby the roller die 162 is moved vertically out of engagement with the closure member 25.

The cam surface 99 of the cam 99, rotating in the direction illustrated in FIGURE 12, then engages the end 1 of the lever 108 and causes the same to pivot about the shaft 106 whereby the lever 113 is moved verti cally downwardly toward the closure member 25. The roller die 1% rotatably carried on the end of the lever 113' progressively engages the annular wall 65 of the closure member and simultaneously bends a portion 129 of the annular wall 65 of the closure member 25 and a flanged portion 136 of the container body 27 to a substantial right angle relative to the container body 27 as shown in FIGURE 12A and diagrammatically in FIG- URE 12B. The roller die 104 causes the flanged portion 129' of the closure member 25 and the flanged portion 130 of the container body 27 to be bent only in the region adjacent the top surface of the disc-like mandrel 23 whereby only the stock material interconnecting the flanged portion 130 to the container body 27 is bent.

After the roller die 104 has performed its function, the cam surface 99' of the cam 99 is rotated past its operating position whereby the spring 116 moves the lever 113 vertically upwardly and, thus, moves the roller die 104 vertically out of engagement with the closure member 25.

The cam shaft 94 then rotates the cam surface 98' of the cam 98 into engagement with the end .125 of the pin 1 24 whereby the pin 124 is moved vertically downwardly. The end 126 of the pin 124- pnshes against the lever 127 and causes the same to be pivoted about the point 128 whereby the roller die 103, rotatably carried on the end of the lever 127, is moved substantially vertically upwardly. The roller die 103 is so constructed and arranged that the roller die .103 engages the portion 129 of the outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25 and bends the same into parallel and concentric engagement with the flanged portion 130 of the container body 27 as shown in FIGURE 13A and diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 1313. In this manner, the portion 129 of the outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25 is not cammed against the outer peripheral surface of the container body 27 as in the prior known methods. Further, the outer peripheral portion 66 has been fully disposed between the flanged portion 130 and an adjacent annular section 131 of the container body 27.

After the roller die 103 has performed its function, as described, the cam surface 98' of the cam 98 is rotated out of its operating position by the cam shaft 94 whereby the weight of the roller die 1613 causes the lever 127 to pivot downwardly out of engagement with the outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25.

The rotating cam shaft 94 then rotates the cam surface 100 of the cam 100 into engagement with the end of the lever 119 and causes the same to rotate about the shaft 117 whereby the lever 119 moves the lever 123 radially inwardly toward the assembled closure member 25 and the container body 27. The roller die rotatably carried on the end of the lever 123 is so constructed and arranged that the same progressively engages the flanged portion 129' of the closure member 25 and compresses the flanged portion 129 of the closure member 25, the flanged portion of the container body 27, the portion 129 of the outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25, and the adjacent annular section 131 of the container body 27 together between the roller die 195 and the end of the disc-like mandrel 23 as shown in FIGURE 14A and diagrammatically in FIGURE 14B. The cam surface 100 of the cam 100 is designed to move the lever 123 radially inwardly toward the disc-like mandrel 23 a predetermined distance whereby the roller die compresses the seamed portions of the assembled closure member 25 and the container body 27 into the desired compressed condition whereby leakage of contained fluid materials and the like is eliminated.

After the roller die has performed its function as described, the cam surface of the cam 100 is rotated out of its operating position by the cam shaft 94 whereby the spring 116 returns the lever 123 radially outwardly from engagement with the assembled closure member 25 and container body 27 to the position illustrated in FIG- URE 14.

The switching means 128 includes a timing device, not shown, which terminates the supply of energy to the motor 68 after the fourth roller die 105 has completed its function whereby the apparatus 10 is automatically stopped.

When the apparatus 10 has completed its seaming cycle, the operator lowers the lower support member 16 by releasing the locking lever 43 from the tang 47 of the base member 12 whereby the support member 16 is lowcred vertically to the position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4. After the support 16 has been lowered vertically, the same is pivoted outwardly to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 whereby the assembled closure member 25 and container body 27 is removed from the lower support member 16. In this manner, the apparatus 11 is adapted to secure another closure member 25 on another container body 27 in the manner previously described.

Although the seaming apparatus 10 has been described as operating with certain manually operated steps, it is to be understood that it is contemplated that such steps could be performed automatically without departing from the scope of this invention.

As shown in FIGURE 15, the closure member 25 provides a bottom for the container body 27 and is rigidly and firmly secured thereto by the interlocked portions 129 and 66 of the closure member 25 and the portions 130 and 131 of the container body 27. The outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25 is disposed between and in parallel and concentric engagement with the adjacent annular section 131 of the container body 27 and the flanged portion 130 of the container body 27 throughout the entire length of the flanged portion 1'30 of the container body 27. Further, the annular end 132 of the outer peripheral portion 66 of closure member 25 is disposed in abutting engagement with the fold 133 of the container body 27, the fold 133 being defined by the portion of the container body 27 joining the flanged portion 130 thereof to the adjacent annular section 131 of the container body 27.

Since the outer peripheral portion 66 of the closure member 25 is disposed in parallel and concentric engagement between the annular section 131 of the container body 27 and the flanged portion 130 thereof, the load imposed on the bottom closure member 25, when the product is disposed within the open end 28 of the container body 27, is borne evenly by the adjacent section 131 and the flanged portion 130 of the container body 27. Further, only the stock material of the container body 27 in the region of the fold 133 have been bent or deformed Whereas the load bearing flange portion 130 and the adjacent annular section 131 have not been weakened by the seaming operation. In this manner, the closure member 25 is adapted to support a relatively large Weight.

One application of the assembled closure member 25 and container body 27 would be to fill the container body 27 with asphalt and the like through the open end 28 thereof whereby the flaps 29 at the open end 28 of the container body 27 are adapted to be folded over as shown in FIGURE 16 in order to close the container body 27. Because the closure member 25 is secured to the container body 27 in the manner described above, the asphalt is not permitted to seep out of the container body 27 through the seam of the closure member 25 and the container is adapted to support the weight of the asphalt Without splitting open.

While the seaming apparatus has been described as operating with four roller dies to effectively secure a closure or bottom member to an open end of a container body, it is to be understood that the novel seaming features of this invention could be performed by various numbers and combinations of roller dies. In particular, the apparatus 10 could operate with five roller dies in the following manner. The first roller die would operate in the same manner as roller die 102 and simultaneously flange a portion of the closure member and a portion of the container body outwardly to an obtuse angle relative to the container body. The second roller die would operate in the same manner as the roller die 10 2 and bend the flanged portions of the closure member and container body to a right angle relative to the container body. The third roller die would simultaneously bend the outer peripheral portion of the closure member toward the container body and the flanged portions to an acute angle relative to the container body, the third roller die operating in the same manner as the roller die 105. The fourth roller die would operate in the same manner as roller die 103 to bend the outer peripheral portion of the closure member into parallel and concentric engagement with the flanged portion of the container body. The fifth roller die operating in the same manner as roller die 105 would compress the flanged portion of the closure member, the flanged portion of the container body, the outer peripheral portion of the closure member, and an adjacent section of the container body together whereby the closure member is secured to the container body.

Therefore, it can be seen that there has been described an improved container having a metal closure member secured to a container body in a manner whereby the load bearing portion of the container body is not adversely deformed or broken in order to provide a container which will readily support a relatively large weight. It can be further seen that there has been described, an improved method and apparatus for producing such a container.

While the foregoing presents preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is obvious that other modifications and/or equivalents may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for securing a closure member having a circular central portion, an annular wall extending outwardly from said central portion and an outer peripheral portion extending radially outwardly from said annular wall, to an open end of a cylindrical container body comprising the steps of assembling said closure member on said open end of said body whereby said central portion and said annular wall of said closure member are disposed within said body and said outer peripheral portion engages said open end, folding said closure outer peripheral portion over the outer surface of said open end of said container body and substantially parallel to said closure annular wall, simultaneously outwardly flanging the upper portion of said annular wall of said closure member and a contiguous portion of said body, inwardly folding the margin of said outer peripheral portion to underlie the outwardly flanged upper portion of said container body, and simultaneously flattening said flanged portions and said underlying margin of said outer closure peripheral portion against said container body so as to produce interlocking reverse bends in both of the flanged portions of said closure member and said container body.

2. An apparatus for securing a closure member having a dished central portion outer peripheral portion secured to an open end of a container body comprising a frame, support means carried by said frame and being adapted to respectively carry said closure member and said body and maintain said closure member on said open end of said body with said dished portion embraced thereby, and roller means carried by said frame and being adapted to simultaneously flange a portion of the peripheral portion of said closure member and an end portion of said body and to fold said outer peripheral portion of said closure member between said flanged portion of said body and an adjacent section of said body to secure said closure member to said body, said support means including a first mandrel disc adapted to be telescopically received in said body and a second mandrel disc adapted to be telescopically received in both said dished central portion of said closure member and said body, in order to maintain said closure member clamped between said mandrel discs and on said open end of said body.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said roller means includes a plurality of movable roller dies connected to said frame, one of said dies being adapted to simultaneously flange said portions of said closure member and said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,367,419 Morrell Ian. 16, 1945 2,389,534 OBrien Nov. 20, 1945 2,395,754 ONeil Feb. 26, 1946 2,633,095 Magill et al. Mar. 31, 1953 2,651,977 Wilcox et al. Sept. 15, 1953 2,794,584 Geist June 4, 1957 

